ZOMER: If people have symptoms and they have self-tests available at home...
they will test earlier and more often.
DE STOPPELAAR: Many people with symptoms get tested...
by the Municipal Public Health Service: the GGD.
Testing is very important in controlling COVID-19.
A recent study showed that self-tests work well compared to the GGD tests...
if people have symptoms.
The advice on testing will be updated.
If you have symptoms, get tested.
You can go to the GGD, or use a self-test at home.
We hope that this will help more people to get tested as soon as they have symptoms.
More testing means finding more infections and controlling the spread.
If your self-test is positive, get tested by the GGD to confirm the results.
ZOMER: We researched how people thought they would respond...
if they woke up with symptoms related to COVID-19.
Our research showed that people who had self-tests available at home...
would use a self-test sooner and more often
As much as 20 percent more.
That is important in preventing transmission.
ZOMER: The current recommendation is “get tested if you have symptoms.”
We compared that to...
“get tested if you have symptoms, but if you can’t go to the GGD, then use a self-test”.
That did not result in any changes in overall detection of the virus.
There was no change in the frequency of GGD testing or self-testing.
That meant that about the same number of infections were detected.
DE STOPPELAAR: If you have symptoms, you obviously do not want to infect others.
Make sure you have several self-tests at home.
If you start to develop symptoms, you can use a self-test right away.
Do it quickly, as soon as your symptoms start.
If you keep having symptoms, use another self-test the next day.
The GGD test lanes will also remain open.
If you are vulnerable...
or if you have direct contact with vulnerable people or people who are seriously ill...
you are still advised to get tested by the GGD.